How to Use Vertical Tabs in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge vertical tabs move your open pages from the top of the browser to a scrollable pane on the left. The layout makes long page titles easier to recognize and can be more manageable when you keep many tabs open.

This guide explains how to turn vertical tabs on or off, resize and collapse the pane, organize tabs into groups, pin important pages, and fix the option when it is missing.

What are vertical tabs in Microsoft Edge?

In the standard Edge layout, tabs appear in a horizontal row above the address bar. As more tabs open, each tab becomes narrower and its title is harder to read. Vertical tabs place that list along the side of the window instead.

Microsoft says the feature is available in current versions of Edge on Windows and macOS. It is a desktop feature; Microsoft’s Edge policy documentation lists Android and iOS as unsupported.

Changing the layout does not close your tabs or change the websites you have open. It only changes where the tab controls appear.

How to turn on vertical tabs in Edge

Use the Search tabs menu

1. Open Microsoft Edge on a Windows PC or Mac.
2. Select the Search tabs button near the upper-left corner of the window. It may look like a downward-facing arrow.
3. Select Turn on vertical tabs.

Your open tabs will move into a pane on the left. Select any tab in the pane to switch to it.

Turn them on through Settings

If the quick option is not visible, use Edge settings:

1. Select the three-dot Settings and more menu.
2. Choose Settings.
3. Open Appearance.
4. Find the toolbar or tab customization controls.
5. Turn on the option to show vertical tabs for the current browser windows.

Edge is updated frequently, so the exact wording or location can vary slightly between versions. Microsoft notes that interface changes may be introduced gradually.

Use the keyboard shortcut

Microsoft documents Ctrl + Shift + , (comma) as the shortcut for switching between vertical and horizontal tabs. On a Mac, menu labels can differ by version, so use the Search tabs menu if the shortcut does not respond.

How to collapse or expand the vertical tab pane

The expanded pane shows tab icons and page titles. If it takes up too much space, collapse it so that only the site icons remain:

1. Move the pointer over the vertical tab pane.
2. Select the Collapse pane or unpin control near the top of the pane.
3. Move the pointer over the collapsed pane whenever you need the full list temporarily.

To keep the pane open again, hover over it and select the pin or expand control. Collapsing the pane is especially useful on a smaller laptop screen because it returns more horizontal room to the webpage.

How to resize the vertical tabs pane

When the pane is expanded, move the pointer to its right edge. When the resize cursor appears, drag the edge left or right.

A wider pane displays more of each page title, which can help when several tabs have similar names. A narrower pane leaves more room for the site you are viewing. Edge remembers the layout in normal use, although browser updates or profile resets may restore a default width.

How to rearrange and close vertical tabs

Vertical tabs work much like tabs along the top:

• Move a tab: drag it up or down the list.
• Close a tab: select the X beside it or middle-click the tab with a mouse.
• Reopen a closed tab: press Ctrl + Shift + T.
• Duplicate or mute a tab: right-click it and choose the relevant command when available.
• Move a tab to another window: drag it outside the current Edge window, or use the right-click menu.

If you have many tabs, use the Search tabs control and type part of a page title or address rather than scrolling through the entire list.

How to group tabs in the vertical layout

Tab groups keep related pages together inside the same pane. For example, you could create separate groups for research, email, shopping, and a current project.

1. Right-click a tab.
2. Select Add tab to new group.
3. Give the group a short name and choose a color.
4. Drag other tabs into the group, or right-click them and add them to an existing group.
5. Select the group name to collapse or expand its tabs.

Collapsing groups can make a long vertical list much easier to scan. Keep group names short so they remain visible when the pane is narrow.

How to pin important tabs

Pin pages you use throughout the day, such as email, a calendar, or a project dashboard:

1. Right-click the tab.
2. Select Pin tab.

Pinned tabs take less room and remain easy to reach. To restore the full tab, right-click it and select Unpin tab.

Pinning is best for a small set of frequently used pages. If everything is pinned, the compact list becomes harder to understand.

Vertical tabs and sleeping tabs work together

A tab that appears faded or gray may be sleeping rather than broken. Edge can put inactive tabs to sleep to reduce resource use, and selecting one wakes it.

Vertical tabs only change the layout; they do not by themselves reduce memory use. For resource management, use Edge’s performance controls. Our guide to using sleeping tabs in Microsoft Edge explains how to adjust the timeout and exclude sites that must stay active.

How to turn off vertical tabs

To return to the familiar row across the top:

1. Select the Search tabs menu in the upper-left corner.
2. Choose Turn off vertical tabs.

You can also use Ctrl + Shift + , or change the option under Settings > Appearance. Your open pages remain open when the layout changes.

Why the vertical tabs option may be missing

Edge needs an update

Open Settings and more > Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge. Edge checks for updates on that page. Restart the browser if an update has been installed.

You are using a mobile device

The desktop vertical-tabs layout is not supported in Edge for Android or iOS. Mobile Edge uses its own tab interface.

Your organization disabled the feature

On a managed work or school device, an administrator can disable vertical tabs through the VerticalTabsAllowed Edge policy. If the option is unavailable and Edge says it is managed by your organization, contact the administrator rather than trying to change system policies yourself.

The button is hidden by an interface change

Look under Settings > Appearance or open the Search tabs menu. Microsoft regularly adjusts Edge’s controls, so screenshots from older guides may not match your version exactly.

A profile or extension is interfering

Restart Edge and test the option in another Edge profile or an InPrivate window. If it works there, review recently added extensions and the affected profile’s appearance settings.

Vertical tabs versus horizontal tabs

Vertical tabs are usually helpful when you keep many pages open, use long page titles, organize tabs into groups, or work on a wide monitor. The expanded pane provides more readable labels and a consistent place to scan the list.

Horizontal tabs may be better when you keep only a few pages open or need every bit of horizontal space for a document, design tool, spreadsheet, or narrow laptop screen. You can switch layouts at any time, so there is no need to choose permanently.

Useful ways to keep Edge tabs manageable

• Close tabs you no longer need instead of using the pane as permanent storage.
• Use a few clearly named groups rather than creating a group for every page.
• Pin only the pages you open repeatedly.
• Use sleeping tabs for inactive pages that should remain available.
• Search open tabs when the list becomes too long to scan.
• Periodically remove old browsing data if troubleshooting a site; see our guide to clearing Microsoft Edge browsing data on exit.

Frequently asked questions

Are Edge vertical tabs available on Mac?

Yes. Microsoft lists vertical tabs as available in current Edge versions on Windows and macOS.

Can I put vertical tabs on the right side?

Microsoft’s current built-in layout places the vertical tab pane on the left. Edge does not provide a standard setting to move that pane to the right.

Do vertical tabs sync between devices?

Sync can make open tabs and browsing data available across signed-in devices, but the vertical or horizontal layout is a browser-interface preference and may need to be enabled on each desktop installation.

Do vertical tabs use more memory?

The layout itself is for organization. The number and activity of open pages have a much larger effect on memory use. Use sleeping tabs and close unnecessary pages when resource use is the concern.

Why are some vertical tabs gray?

They are usually sleeping tabs. Edge fades inactive tabs that have been put to sleep to conserve browser resources. Select the tab to wake it.

Will switching layouts close my tabs?

No. Switching between horizontal and vertical tabs changes their position without closing the open pages.

Conclusion

Microsoft Edge vertical tabs are most useful when the normal tab row becomes crowded. Turn them on from the Search tabs menu, collapse the pane when you need more page space, and combine the layout with groups, pinned tabs, and sleeping tabs. If the option is missing, update Edge and check whether the browser is managed by an organization.

Sources: Microsoft Edge: Vertical tabs; Microsoft Support: Visual changes to Edge; Microsoft Learn: VerticalTabsAllowed policy; Microsoft Edge Learning Center: Stay organized.

Featured image: Photo by Domenico Loia on Unsplash.